Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



H. CON A N T. Breech-loading Fire-arm.

Patented April 1, 1856.

N.PETERS. FHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, WASHINGYON. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEZEKIAH CONANT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 14,554, dated April l, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH CONANT, of Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the same, as described and represented in the following specification and drawings, is sufficiently clear to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

I will proceed to describe the construction and use, referring to the drawings, in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

The nature of my invention consists of inserting ametallic ring into the slide,with chamber in rear of said ring, so that by the explosive force of the powder acting against the rear of said ring it is caused to expand and press against the breech, and effectually prevent escape of gas or accident therefrom.

' Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section. A is the stock B, the barrel; S, an edge view of the breech-slide, in which is constructed a chamber, 1), for the reception of my improved method, a, of making tight the joint by inserting a ring of either shape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 6 shows a face view of slide; Fig. 7, an edge view, with squareformed ring, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

My improvement consists in making an orifice in the movable slide 8, which is constructed and arranged for the purpose of admitting the charge into the breech of the gun when it is removed, and securing the same when replaced, the diameter of said orifice made of any desirable size and thickness or depth to correspond to the diameter and thickness of ring, the shape and form of which are represented in Figs. 2, 4, 3, and 5, and chambered or concaved out, as shownat b, Figs. 1 and 7, the inner diameter of the ring being the same as the diameter of the bore, and cut to allow it to expand, so that the explosive force. of the powder acting against the inner and rear sides of the ring will cause it to expand and closely fit the breech and inner circumference of the slides orifice, thereby effectually preventing any escape of gas therefrom, which has from repeated experiments proved completely successful.

I do not claim the self-adjusting thimble constructed and operating in the manner as represented in J. D. Greens patent, June 27, 1854. Neither do I claim a sliding collar on the breech, forced against the end of the barrel by a spring acting on a trigger, as in I. C. Dayes patent, December 18, 1855. Nor do I claim a cone-headed pin in the breech, which pin has two or more expanding metal rings acting on the cone, as in B. F. J osylins patent, August 28, 1855; but

What I do claim is- The inserting a metallic ring into the slide, with the chamber in rear of said ring, as shown and represented, and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and described.

HEZEKIAH CONANT. n s.]

Witnesses:

WoosTER B. SEYMOR, HENRY FRANCIS. 

